Lynda Reed

I was the switchboard operator for the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital for more than eleven years. It made me feel good to be there for people who called in. I love to serve people. Sometimes when you call into a big institution, you get an impersonal “institution voice.” Even though I took a lot of calls every day, I never wanted a caller to feel like I had too many calls, or that I was sorry they had called.

I was also always impressed with how the oncology service cared for the people who called into the hospital. I was especially impressed with Dr. Withrow. It didn’t matter if it was the president, or the CEO of a company, or the little old woman who lived in a shoe, he took every call. It made me realize that he knew how it felt to get a cancer diagnosis. He must have been equally impressed with what I conveyed to people on the telephone too, because he asked me if I would join him as part of the Animal Cancer Center.

Personally, I feel I’m in the best place ever. I love being part of the Animal Cancer Center because I feel that I’m needed. What I do for a living is connect people – I connect someone to the right person to help them. I normally know how to find who has the answer to most people’s questions. Sometimes I don’t think I ever solve anything for anyone, but I always know who can, and I make the connection. That brings me a lot of joy. The biggest strength I bring to my job is that I love people. Sometimes I will call a client just to check in with them. I just want to see how they’re doing. Even though I never touch an animal in my job, I know I touch the clients with my voice. I know that being there for people, and always being willing to listen and help is important.

Every one of us makes a conscious effort, every single day, to make each client feel that we are seeing only one patient that day. We try to make each person who walks in the front door feel that they’ve come to the right place. And the research we do, and the clinical trials, all make us better able to help every day. With research we find new ways to treat cancer; we find new ways to help people. This truly is the Center of Hope.

I feel blessed to be able to work with these medical professionals. Actually, they’ve changed my whole perspective on the medical profession. Veterinary medicine is such a caring profession, and it just amazes me how real these people are. Without a doubt, we are a family. I’m loved and respected here, and I can feel it every single day. I help guide their days. I do the best I can to help them with whatever they need. Everyday is a gift, and another chance to make a better day for someone else.

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